A plan to close Enos Park at dusk to cut down on vandalism was unanimously approved by the Springfield Park Board on Thursday.

The change, which also applies to nearby Gehrmann Park, moves up the closing time from 10:30 p.m. It’s hoped that the change will give police an extra tool to cut down on vandalism at Enos Park, which has been attributed to teenagers.

People who live in the area say the teens start to show up around 9 or 9:30 p.m., and in the morning, residents find trash and broken glass in the neighborhood park. The bathrooms have also been vandalized.

The new closing time went into effect immediately with the board’s vote and will remain in effect until Dec. 31.

Park board president Leslie Sgro said the board would review the situation at the end of the year.

“We’ll look at the situation in Enos and Gehrmann parks and make an assessment as to whether that’s a policy that needs to continue,” Sgro said. “If it is, then we can do it permanently or extend it for another year as needed.”

There hasn’t been a vandalism problem at Gehrmann Park. But since it is only a few blocks from Enos Park, the Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association requested that the action cover both parks so the problem doesn’t simply move to a new location.

The new closing time can be enforced by park police or other area agencies, including Springfield police.